Vienna Conference on Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare October 1 and 2, 2019

Practical Information Note

Table of contents

1. Date and venue ...... 3 2. Sessions ...... 3 3. High-level opening ...... 3 4. Reception ...... 3 5. Registration and accreditation ...... 3 6. Badges and access ...... 3 7. Conference website ...... 4 8. Press and media ...... 4 9. Visa ...... 4 10. Sponsorship programme for Least Developed Countries ...... 4 11. Transportation ...... 5 12. Accommodation ...... 5 13. Arrivals ...... 5 14. Delegation working area ...... 5 15. Bilateral meetings ...... 6 16. Interpretation services ...... 6 17. Medical and emergency services ...... 6 18. Contacts ...... 6 Annex 1: Information on visa applications ...... 7 Annex 2: General information ...... 10

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This Practical Information Note provides delegations with information on the administrative and logistical organisation of the Conference under the title “Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare”, which will take place from 1 to 2 October 2019 at the Center Vienna in Vienna, Austria. The information provided in this note may be subject to change and will be updated accordingly.

1. DATE AND VENUE The Vienna Conference on “Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare” will take place from 1 to 2 October at the Austria Center Vienna. For further details on the conference venue and how to get there, please see Annex 2. The host of the conference is the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria.

2. SESSIONS The sessions will take place from 9.00 to 17:15 on the first and from 9:00 to 15:45 on the second day, with time for a lunch break/side events from 12:00 to 13:30 on the first and from 12:30 to 13:30 on the second day.

3. HIGH-LEVEL OPENING The official programme of the conference will start with a high-level segment on Tuesday, 1 October from 9:00 to 10:00. Details can be found in the programme.

4. RECEPTION All participants are invited to a reception hosted by the Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, 1 October at 18:00 at “Palais Niederösterreich”, a historic mansion located in the heart of Vienna’s City Centre. From 17:30 onwards, bus transport for participants will be provided from the conference venue Austria Center Vienna to ”Palais Niederösterreich” (access by show of conference badge).

5. REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION For the purpose of this conference, representatives of governments, international organizations as well as non-governmental organizations are referred to as “delegates”. Accreditation of delegates requires two steps: - Each delegation member needs to complete the online registration form available on the conference website under www.POC19Vienna.at - In addition, the accrediting state or international organization is requested to notify the composition of the delegation to the Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign affairs/Vienna Conference Team ([email protected]) by Note Verbale. NGOs are requested to notify the composition of the delegation to the Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign affairs/Vienna Conference Team ([email protected]) by official letter signed by the head of the NGO. Personal data will be used exclusively for the purpose of the conference. Names, official function, affiliation, and e-mail address of conference participants will be compiled in a participants’ list to be shared among delegates. All other personal data will be deleted after the conference.

6. BADGES AND ACCESS Each accredited delegate to the conference will be provided a badge, which gives access to the conference

3 venue. Please note that the badges are personalised and non-transferable and must be worn visibly at all times during the conference. Distribution of badges will take place at the beginning of the conference at the conference venue at the welcome desk. In the case of any additional queries regarding the registration and accreditation procedure or any last minute changes please contact [email protected].

7. CONFERENCE WEBSITE The conference website www.POC19Vienna.at contains more detailed information on the contents of the conference, registration and accreditation, the sponsorship programme and logistical as well as other organisational aspects.

8. PRESS AND MEDIA At the conference venue, a working area for media representatives will be available. More detailed information on media accreditation and the press programme will be available prior to the conference on the conference website www.POC19Vienna.at

9. VISA Please note that nationals of certain countries require a Schengen visa to enter Austria. A list of these countries is available at the Federal Ministry of the Interior under the following link: https://www.bmi.gv.at/202/Fremdenpolizei_und_Grenzkontrolle/Visumpflichtige_Laender/start.aspx (Website available in German only, though the links listed include an English translation)

You will find relevant information and practical references concerning entry to Austria or the Schengen Area as well as information about the application process under the following link: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/entry-and-residence-in-austria/

You can find the Austrian representation for your country under http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies- consulates/search-for-austrian-representations/ (see Annex 1)

We advise you to apply for your visa in good time – in any case by September 1, 2019 at the latest – at the Austrian diplomatic representation competent for your place of residence. If there is no Austrian representation situated in your country of residence, you may submit your application for a Schengen visa at the embassy of the Schengen partner state that represents Austria (please note: the proceedings at the embassies representing Austria follow the relevant regulations of the respective state). An overview of these representations is indicated in Annex 1.

10. SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES A limited sponsorship programme is available for government delegates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs)1. In addition to completing the registration process for participation in the conference, the submission of an application form for the sponsorship programme is required. All inquiries concerning the eligibility and the application process should be addressed to [email protected].

1 LDCs: https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/least-developed-country-category/ldcs-at-a- glance.html 4

More Information regarding the sponsorship programme is available on the conference website: www.POC19Vienna.at.

11. TRANSPORTATION With the exception of bus transport from conference venue to “Palais Niederösterreich” for the reception on October 1, no transportation will be provided to delegates. Vienna offers a vast public transport network consisting of underground, tram and bus lines. The conference venue ACV is located a few steps from U1 metro station “Kaisermühlen – Vienna International Centre” which connects to the City centre in an 8 minutes ride. Tickets are available at ticket offices or vending machines situated in metro stations and at the larger bus/tram stops (for more information see Annex 2).

12. ACCOMMODATION Delegates are responsible for booking their hotel accommodation; please note that October is a very busy month especially regarding the hotels close to the conference venue ACV, hence, early booking is highly recommended.

13. ARRIVALS Delegates will be responsible for arranging their transfers from the airport to their hotel in Vienna. Vienna International Airport (airport code: VIE) is located about 20 km from the city centre. From the airport, the city centre can easily be reached by public transport: express City Airport Train (CAT), railway, bus, taxi. Taxis are available directly in front of the airport arrival hall. Transfer from the airport to the city centre takes approx. 15 to 20 minutes. Further information can be found at: https://www.viennaairport.com/en/passengers/arrival__parking/taxis__limousines

City Airport Train (CAT): With only 16 minutes to “Wien Mitte” station, the CAT is the fastest means of transport to reach the city centre. The CAT operates daily from 5.36 am to 11.39 pm. A one way ticket costs €11 and a return ticket €19. More information can be found at http://www.cityairporttrain.com/en/home .

S7 Schnellbahn (city train): The city train stops several times before reaching Wien Mitte station. It takes 25 minutes to arrive at “Wien Mitte” station. A one way ticket from the airport to Vienna costs € 4,40.

Bus: Vienna –Airport Lines – right in front of airport arrival hall, departing every 30 minutes (20 minutes ride) Vienna Airport Lines 3 (arrives directly at VIC) Vienna Airport Lines 2 (arrives at Schwedenplatz/City Center) Vienna Airport Lines 1 (arrives at Westbahnhof) A one way trip costs € 8, return trip costs € 13. Further information and online ticket is available at www.viennaairportlines.at .

Taxi: taxi fare from the airport to the city centre is about € 40-45.

14. DELEGATION WORKING AREA At the conference venue, there will be a limited number of workstations and printers for the use of 5 delegations. There is free wireless internet available in the entire building.

15. BILATERAL MEETINGS A limited number of bilateral meeting rooms will be available. The capacity of the rooms varies from 8 to 10 people. Kindly note that no interpretation will be provided for bilateral meetings. Requests for bilateral meetings can either be submitted in advance to [email protected] , or at the conference secretariat. Rooms will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

16. INTERPRETATION SERVICES Interpretation will be provided from and into the UN official languages Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

17. MEDICAL AND EMERGENCY SERVICES Emergency medical services will be provided at the conference venue. These services include emergency medical care and, if necessary, transportation to the designated local hospital. However, the Federal Ministry does not cover medical expenses related to hospitalisation or follow-up medical treatment.

18. CONTACTS

Registration and accreditation for delegates Email: [email protected]

Organisation of the event and conference venue Email: [email protected]

Media accreditation and digital communications Email: [email protected]

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ANNEX 1: INFORMATION ON VISA APPLICATIONS Nationals of EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) and do not require a visa for entering the Republic of Austria. If you are a citizen of any of these countries you will not require a visa (if you live in any of these countries, but did not acquire the citizenship of any of these countries, you may require a visa):

Austria, , Bulgaria, , Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, , Greece, , Iceland, Ireland, , Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, , Portugal, Romania, , , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,

Nationals of countries, which signed bilateral or multilateral agreements on the abolition of visa requirement, are visa-free if they stay in Austria for a maximum period of 90 days within 180 days and do not take up employment. According to Appendix 2, Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 nationals of the following countries do not require a visa (non-committal information!):

Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Bulgaria, Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Columbia; Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus*), Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia**), Great Britain and Northern Ireland (British Nationals Overseas), Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Korea - Republic of, Macao (Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China), Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Macedonia, Mexico, Micronesia - Federated States of, Moldova**) - Republic of, Monaco, Montenegro**), New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Solomon Islands, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia (except holder of Serbian passports issued by Koordinaciona uprava), Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan, Timor- Leste, Tonga – Kingdom of, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine**), United States of America (USA), Uruguay, Vanuatu; Vatican City, Venezuela

*) Cyprus: Residents/citizens of southern part of Cyprus: not requiring a visa; Residents/citizens of northern part of Cyprus: Visa required

**) holders of biometric passports

Citizens of all other countries will need to obtain a visa. In general, Schengen visas have to be lodged at the relevant Austrian representation of the applicant´s country of residence. In case that there is no representation of Austria in the residence country, it is also possible to request a Schengen visa at a Schengen embassy, which is representing Austria. Please note that visa applications can be lodged no more than three months before the start of the intended visit.

Citizens/residents of the following countries should apply for their visa at the Austrian representation (Embassy or Consulate General) in their country of residence.

Algeria, Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine*), Vietnam

*) holders of non-biometric passports

See below for the contact details of the Austrian representation in your country: http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies-consulates/search-for-austrian-representations/.

If you are a citizen/resident of the following states, you will not find an Austrian representation in your country you can apply for a visa at the European partner states with which Austria cooperates in the Schengen visa process (see homepage link for the relevant contact details). If you apply for a visa at the representation of a European partner state, please keep in mind that the conditions of this European partner state are effective and we cannot interfere in the visa process. If you decide to apply for a visa at an Austrian representation (Embassy or Consulate General) you need to find the Austrian representation responsible for your country: http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies-consulates/search-for-austrian-representations/

Andorra - Spain Angola - Portugal, Armenia- Germany

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Bahrain - France Bangladesh- France Belarus - Germany Benin - France Bolivia - Spain Botswana - Germany Burkina-Faso - France Burundi - Belgium Canada - Germany (Toronto), Germany (Montreal), Switzerland (Vancouver) Cabo Verde - Portugal Cambodia - Germany Cameroon - Belgium Central African Republic - France Chad - France China - Hungary (only Chongqing)* Comoros - France Congo (Brazzaville) - France Costa Rica - Spain Côte d'Ivoire - Belgium Dominican Republic - Switzerland Djibouti - France Ecuador - Germany El Salvador - Spain Equatorial Guinea- Spain Gabon - France Georgia - Switzerland Ghana - Netherlands Guinea - France Guinea-Bissau - Portugal Haiti - France Honduras - Spain Iceland - Germany Jamaica - Spain Kazakhstan - Hungary (Almaty) Korea (North) - Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Germany Kosovo - Switzerland Kyrgyzstan- Germany Lao People's Democratic Republic - Germany Macau - Portugal Madagascar - France Malawi - Norway Mali - France Mauritania - Spain Mauritius – France Moldova – Hungary Monaco – France Mongolia - Germany Montenegro - Slovenia Mozambique - Netherlands Myanmar - Germany Namibia - Germany Nepal - Germany New Zealand - Germany Nicaragua - Spain Niger - France Oman - Spain Panama - Spain Paraguay - Spain Qatar - Germany Russian Federation – Finland (St. Petersburg), Hungary (Yekaterinburg)

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Rwanda - Belgium Saint Lucia - France Sao Tome and Principe - Portugal Seychelles - France Singapore - France Sri Lanka - Germany Suriname - Netherlands Tajikistan - Germany Tanzania - Belgium Timor-Leste - Portugal Togo - France Turkmenistan - Germany Uganda - Germany Uruguay - Spain Uzbekistan - Germany Vanuatu - Frankreich Viet Nam - Germany (Ho Chi Minh City) Zambia - Germany Zimbabwe – Germany

*) for official passport holders

Bermuda: not requiring a visa Cayman Islands: not requiring a visa Curaçao: not requiring a visa Cyprus: Residents/citizens of southern part of Cyprus: not requiring a visa Residents/citizens of northern part of Cyprus: Visa required; please apply at the Austrian Consulate General Istanbul Iraq: Visa required, please apply at Austrian Embassy Amman Libya: Visa required, please apply at Austrian Embassy Tunis or Austrian Embassy Cairo South Sudan: Visa required: please apply at Austrian Embassy Addis Abeba Sudan: Visa required; please apply at Austrian Embassy Cairo Palestinian territories: Residents/citizens of Palestinian territories: Visa required, please apply at Austrian Embassy Tel Aviv

If your country has not been mentioned on the list above, there is neither an Austrian representation (Embassy/Consulate General) nor a European partner state with which Austria cooperates in the Schengen visa process. You need to find the Austrian representation responsible for your country: http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassies-consulates/search-for-austrian- representations/

Please note that this information is for holders of ordinary passports only! If you are a holder of a diplomatic or service passport please check the following link in order to get informed whether you require a visa or not: https://www.bmi.gv.at/202/Fremdenpolizei_und_Grenzkontrolle/Visumpflichtige_Laender/files/BF_EN_HP_BMI_Visaliste_ 20190220.pdf

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ANNEX 2: GENERAL INFORMATION Venue The Austria Center Vienna (ACV) is situated right next to the Vienna International Center. It can be reached within 8 minutes by underground (U1 line) from the city centre and is only a few minutes’ walk from the Danube and the Danube park. An airport bus connects the ACV directly to Vienna Airport (30-minute bus ride). https://www.acv.at/index.en.html

The Conference will take place on the ground floor of the ACV, which can be accessed via an escalator. The seating arrangement is in accordance with UN practice and follows the English alphabetical order.

Sustainable Event Management

The conference venue, the ACV, has been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel and has put into practice comprehensive environmental measures, such as 100% renewable energy, electric vehicle charging stations and a certified catering company offering seasonal, regional and organic products. We encourage attendees of events to help make them sustainable. We recommend using public transport to get to Austria, stay in a hotel that has been certified as being environmentally friendly and use digital devices instead of paper.

Climate In September and October, temperatures in Vienna range from 11 °C to 21 °C. For detailed weather forecasts, please consult https://www.zamg.ac.at/cms/en/weather/weather- forecast/wien. Local time Austria uses Central European Time (CET), which is GMT plus 1 hour.

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Transportation

By Car In Austria, all drivers wishing to travel on motorways and expressways are required to pay a toll charge or have a toll sticker. Digital vignettes or toll stickers with periods of validity of 10 days (EUR 9.20), 2 months (EUR 26.80) or 1 year (EUR 89.20) are available from more than 6,000 sales outlets in Austria and abroad. Please note that the speed limit on Austrian motorways is 130 km/h and there is a statutory drink driving limit of <0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood. For more information on the rules for driving motor vehicles in Austria, please refer to: www.help.gv.at/Portal.Node/hlpd/public/content/6/Seite.0630002.html Parking spaces in the Austria Center Vienna are available; however, fees apply.

Connections between Vienna Airport and the Austria Center Vienna Railjet Service ÖBB The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) run a service connecting Vienna Airport with Vienna Hauptbahnhof (main station) in 15 minutes. There are regular direct connections between 06:30 and 23:00. There are indirect connections (taking approximately 40 minutes and with one transfer) from 04:42 to 00:18. Tickets: single: EUR 4.20 www.oebb.at The U1 underground line provides a direct connection between the main station and Kaisermühlen-VIC station (approximately 12 minutes). You can also take the S7 rapid transit railway to the ACV (airport to Praterstern station, and then take the U1 underground line to Kaisermühlen-VIC station).

Airport Shuttle Service The City Airport Train (CAT) offers a direct connection between Vienna Airport and the city centre in 16 minutes (Wien Mitte train station – Bahnhof Wien Mitte). Tickets: single EUR 11 online; EUR 12 at the ticket machine / return EUR 19 online; EUR 21 at the ticket machine www.cityairporttrain.com From Landstraße (Wien Mitte train station) underground station, you can either take the U3 line to Stephansplatz or the U4 line to Schwedenplatz. Then change at Stephansplatz or Schwedenplatz to the U1 line, which will take you to Kaisermühlen-VIC station (approximately 12 minutes during the day from Wien Mitte train station).

Vienna Airport Lines Between 05:00 and 21:00, the Vienna Airport Line 3 offers a direct hourly bus service between Vienna Airport and Kaisermühlen-VIC station. In approximately 35 minutes, you can reach the Austria Center Vienna from the airport bus terminal. Tickets can be bought on the bus. Tickets: single EUR 8 / return EUR 13 www.viennaairportlines.at

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Taxis and Car Sharing For more information, please visit www.viennaairport.com/en/passengers/arrival__parking/taxis__limousines and www.viennaairport.com/en/passengers/arrival__parking/carsharing.

Public Transport Vienna has a fully integrated public transport network. Between Monday and Friday, the underground, trams and buses run from approximately 05:00 until just after midnight. On Friday and Saturday as well as on the days preceding public holidays, the underground also runs throughout the night. Both during the week and at the weekend, NightLine buses complement the existing services as of midnight. Single ticket: EUR 2.40 / 24 hours: EUR 8.00 / 48 hours: EUR 14.10 / 72 hours: EUR 17.10 Single tickets can be used to travel once in one direction and are valid from the time they are punched in a validating machine. You may change between tram, bus and underground as often as you like, but without interrupting travel. A short-term pass offers unlimited travel by tram, bus and rail inside Vienna’s core zone for as long as the ticket is valid. Prior to use, you must validate your pass by punching it in a ticket validating machine (conveniently located in underground stations and on buses and trams). Short-term passes are transferable but may only be used by one passenger at a time. EasyCityPass Vienna (1 week, including special offers for tourists): EUR 29.90 You can also use Wiener Linien’s WienMobil app (available on Android and iOS) to buy tickets, calculate your route or book a taxi (German/English).

For further information on ticket prices and timetables, see www.wienerlinien.at.

Accessibility Information and contacts for people with disabilities can be found at www.wien.info/en/travel- info/accessible-vienna.

Further Information Opening Hours The statutory shop opening hours are Monday-Friday 06:00-21:00 and Saturday until 18:00. Actual opening times vary: Most shops are open from 09:00 to 19:00 (grocery stores from 08:00) during the week. Closing hours on Saturday are either at 13:00 or at 18:00. Special rules allowing extended opening hours are in place in tourist areas. The opening hours of shops located in railway stations and airports correspond to travel hours (some shops are open until 23:00). Banks General opening hours:

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Monday-Friday: 08:00-15:00 Thursday: 08:00-17:30 Many branches have extended opening hours of 09:00-18:00 Monday to Friday or 24-hour foyers. Cash machines are located at all bank branch offices, they accept most credit and debit cards. Look for the “bankomat” sign.

There is a cash machine situated in the entry hall of the ACV, directly across from the welcome and information desk. Outside of the ACV, the nearest cash machine is located at the Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien AG, Donau-City-Straße 6, Andromeda Tower, 1220 Vienna. There is also another cash machine situated in the immediate vicinity of the ACV at Leonard-Bernstein-Straße 4-6, 1220 Vienna.

The official currency in Austria is the EURO. Credit Cards EC cards as well as major credit cards are widely accepted in Austria. Credit card company hotlines: Visa: 0800 200 288 (from Austria) American Express: 0800 900 940 (from Austria) / +49 69 9797 2000 Diners Club: +43 1 50 135-14 / +43 1 50 135-135 (from Austria) MasterCard: 0800 07 06 138 (from Austria) / +1 636 722 7111 Post Offices Post offices in Vienna are usually open Monday to Friday 08:00-18:00. Some post offices have extended opening hours and/or are closed at lunchtime. The main post office (Fleischmarkt 19, 1010 Vienna) is open Monday-Friday 07:00-22:00 and Saturday-Sunday 09:00-22:00; post offices at railway stations have extended opening hours during the week and are also open on Saturdays and Sundays. The nearest post offices to the ACV are located at Moissigasse 14, 1220 Vienna (a 25-minute walk) and at the underground stations Kagran (Donaustadtstraße 1, 1220 Vienna) and Vorgartenstraße (Lasallestraße 38, 1020 Vienna). Lost Property Office For help finding lost property, please contact the Lost Property Office of the Austrian Towns and Municipalities (in German only): www.fundamt.gv.at Service line: 0900 600 200 (24h, charges apply) Central Office of the Lost and Found Service in Vienna: +43 1 4000 8091

Any lost items that are found after the event will be handed over to the Lost Property Office and may be picked up there.

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Medical doctors and a medical emergency unit are on site at the meeting venue. The designated hospital is Vienna’s General Hospital AKH. Allgemeines Krankenhaus Wien (AKH), Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna Phone: +43 (0)1 404000 18 There are doctors and pharmacies throughout Austria. Pharmacies take turns to open during the night and on Sundays; closed pharmacies direct customers to the nearest open pharmacy. The nearest pharmacy to the conference and media centre is located on the lower ground floor of the Andromeda Tower, Donau- City-Straße 6, 1220 Vienna. EU citizens who have health insurance can use the European Health Insurance Card to access healthcare during a temporary stay on the same basis, as it would be provided to a person insured in Austria. For further information, please contact your national health insurance fund.

Electricity 220 volt AC. Plugs and sockets conform to the European norm.

Important Telephone Numbers European emergency number 112 Fire department 122 Police 133 Ambulance 144 Emergency doctor 141 Pharmacy emergency and night service 1455 Search for emergency dentists at www.zahnaerztekammer.at Telephone directory enquiries for Austria, the EU and neighbouring countries 11 88 11 (charges apply) Dialling Codes in Austria: Austria: +43 Vienna: (0)1

Smoking Smoking is prohibited in indoor public areas such as the conference site. Restaurants and coffee shops in Austria offer both non-smoking and smoking areas, which are clearly designated and marked with a smoking or non-smoking sign; many establishments are exclusively non-smoking. 14